the witch and other stories-第12章
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bring them up that they may be of use to you； may love you。 I
shall impress upon them continually that their life does not
belong to them； but to you。 Only I beg you earnestly； I beseech
you； trust us； live in friendship with us。 My husband is a kind；
good man。 Don't worry him； don't irritate him。 He is sensitive to
every trifle； and yesterday； for instance； your cattle were in
our vegetable garden； and one of your people broke down the fence
to the bee…hives； and such an attitude to us drives my husband to
despair。 I beg you；〃 she went on in an imploring voice； and she
clasped her hands on her bosom 〃I beg you to treat us as good
neighbours； let us live in peace！ There is a saying； you know；
that even a bad peace is better than a good quarrel； and； 'Don't
buy property； but buy neighbours。' I repeat my husband is a kind
man and good； if all goes well we promise to do everything in our
power for you； we will mend the roads； we will build a school for
your children。 I promise you。〃
〃Of course we thank you humbly； lady；〃 said Lytchkov the father；
looking at the ground； 〃you are educated people； it is for you to
know best。 Only； you see； Voronov； a rich peasant at Eresnevo；
promised to build a school； he； too； said； 'I will do this for
you；' 'I will do that for you；' and he only put up the framework
and refused to go on。 And then they made the peasants put the
roof on and finish it； it cost them a thousand roubles。 Voronov
did not care； he only stroked his beard； but the peasants felt it
a bit hard。〃
〃That was a crow； but now there's a rook； too；〃 said Kozov； and
he winked。
There was the sound of laughter。
〃We don't want a school；〃 said Volodka sullenly。 〃Our children go
to Petrovskoe； and they can
go on going there； we don't want it。〃
Elena Ivanovna seemed suddenly intimidated； her face looked paler
and thinner； she shrank into herself as though she had been
touched with something coarse； and walked away without uttering
another word。 And she walked more and more quickly； without
looking round。
〃Lady；〃 said Rodion； walking after her； 〃lady； wait a bit； hear
what I would say to you。〃
He followed her without his cap； and spoke softly as though
begging。
〃Lady； wait and hear what I will say to you。〃
They had walked out of the village； and Elena Ivanovna stopped
beside a cart in the shade of an old mountain ash。
〃Don't be offended； lady；〃 said Rodion。 〃What does it mean？ Have
patience。 Have patience for a couple of years。 You will live
here； you will have patience； and it will all come round。 Our
folks are good and peaceable； there's no harm in them； it's God's
truth I'm telling you。 Don't mind Kozov and the Lytchkovs； and
don't mind Volodka。 He's a fool； he listens to the first that
speaks。 The others are quiet folks； they are silent。 Some would
be glad； you know； to say a word from the heart and to stand up
for themselves； but cannot。 They have a heart and a conscience；
but no tongue。 Don't be offended 。 。 。 have patience。 。 。 。 What
does it matter？〃
Elena Ivanovna looked at the broad； tranquil river； pondering；
and tears flowed down her cheeks。 And Rodion was troubled by
those tears； he almost cried himself。
〃Never mind 。 。 。〃 he muttered。 〃Have patience for a couple of
years。 You can have the school； you can have the roads； only not
all at once。 If you went； let us say； to sow corn on that mound
you would first have to weed it out； to pick out all the stones；
and then to plough； and work and work 。 。 。 and with the people；
you see； it is the same 。 。 。 you must work and work until you
overcome them。〃
The crowd had moved away from Rodion's hut； and was coming along
the street towards the mountain ash。 They began singing songs and
playing the concertina； and they kept coming closer and closer。 。
。 。
〃Mamma； let us go away from here；〃 said the little girl； huddling
up to her mother； pale and shaking all over； 〃let us go away；
mamma！
〃Where？〃
〃To Moscow。 。 。 。 Let us go； mamma。〃
The child began crying。
Rodion was utterly overcome； his face broke into profuse
perspiration； he took out of his pocket a little crooked
cucumber； like a half…moon； covered with crumbs of rye bread； and
began thrusting it into the little girl's hands。
〃Come； come；〃 he muttered； scowling severely； 〃take the little
cucumber； eat it up。 。 。 。 You mustn't cry。 Mamma will whip you。
。 。 。 She'll tell your father of you when you get home。 Come；
come。 。 。 。〃
They walked on； and he still followed behind them； wanting to say
something friendly and persuasive to them。 And seeing that they
were both absorbed in their own thoughts and their own griefs；
and not noticing him； he stopped and； shading his eyes from the
sun； looked after them for a long time till they disappeared into
their copse。
IV
The engineer seemed to grow irritable and petty； and in every
trivial incident saw an act of robbery or outrage。 His gate was
kept bolted even by day； and at night two watchmen walked up and
down the garden beating a board； and they gave up employing
anyone from Obrutchanovo as a labourer。 As ill…luck would have it
someone （either a peasant or one of the workmen） took the new
wheels off the cart and replaced them by old ones； then soon
afterwards two bridles and a pair of pincers were carried off；
and murmurs arose even in the village。 People began to say that a
search should be made at the Lytchkovs' and at Volodka's； and
then the bridles and the pincers were found under the hedge in
the engineer's garden； someone had thrown them down there。
It happened that the peasants were coming in a crowd out of the
forest； and again they met the engineer on the road。 He stopped；
and without wishing them good…day he began； looking angrily first
at one； then at another：
〃I have begged you not to gather mushrooms in the park and near
the yard； but to leave them for my wife and children； but your
girls come before daybreak and there is not a mushroom left。 。 。
。Whether one asks you or not it makes no difference。 Entreaties；
and friendliness； and persuasion I see are all useless。〃
He fixed his indignant eyes on Rodion and went on：
〃My wife and I behaved to you as human beings； as to our equals；
and you？ But what's the use of talking！ It will end by our
looking down upon you。 There is nothing left！〃
And making an effort to restrain his anger； not to say too much；
he turned and went on。
On getting home Rodion said his prayer； took off his boots； and
sat down beside his wife。
〃Yes 。 。 。〃 he began with a sigh。 〃We were walking along just
now； and Mr。 Kutcherov met us。 。 。 。 Yes。 。 。 。 He saw the girls
at daybreak。 。 。 'Why don't they bring mushrooms；' 。 。 。 he said
'to my wife and children？' he said。 。 。 。 And then he looked at
me and he said： 'I and my wife will look after you；' he said。 I
wanted to fall down at his feet； but I hadn't the courage。 。 。 。
God give him health。 。 。 God bless him！ 。 。 。〃
Stephania crossed herself and sighed。
〃They are kind； simple…hearted people；〃 Rodion went on。 〃 'We
shall look after you。' 。 。 。 He promised me that before everyone。
In our old age 。 。 。 it wouldn't be a bad thing。 。 。 。 I should
always pray for them。 。 。 。 Holy Mother； bless them。 。 。 。〃
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross； the fourteenth of
September； was the festival of the village church。 The Lytchkovs；
father and son； went across the river early in the morning and
returned to dinner drunk； they spent a long time going about the
village； alternately singing and swearing； then they had a fight
and went to the New Villa to complain。 First Lytchkov the father
went into the yard with a long ashen stick in his hands。 He
stopped irresolutely and took off his hat。 Just at that moment
the engineer and his family were sitting on the verandah；
drinking tea。
〃What do you want？〃 shouted the engineer。
〃Your honour 。 。 。〃 Lytchkov began； and burst into tears。 〃Show
the Divine mercy； protect me 。 。 。 my son makes my life a misery
。 。 。 your honour。 。 。〃
Lytchkov the son walked up； too； he； too； was bareheaded and had
a stick in his hand； he stopped and fixed his drunken senseless
eyes on the verand
